Health effects from the Hemel Hempstead oil depot explosions

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has worked with the Dacorum and Watford and Three Rivers Primary Care Trusts to review and monitor any health effects of the Buncefield oil depot fire. This followed on from the health advice provided by the HPA to the public and Emergency Services immediately following the explosion.

Some of the initial key findings are summarised here. A full report is expected to be published in July. 

The main findings from these investigations show that there was:

• no evidence of a public health risk from the plume either as deposits or on air quality;
• a relatively small number of people attended A&E. Of the 244 patients who attended three quarters were from the emergency services and of all those attending 90% were sent home without needing follow up; most of the others had minor injuries;
• differences in people's view of exposure depending on location; with people under the plume more likely to be worried about exposure than those not;
• a drop in the level of anxiety amongst the public from approximately 50% at the time of the incident to13% about 7 weeks after the event.